I Should Be Ashes By Now
by Deathangel113
Summary: Every family has its secrets. They close doors and create imaginary worlds. When the illusion shatters reality becomes a haunting nightmare.
1. Thank You

**Summary****: Every family has its secrets. They close doors and create imaginary worlds. When the illusion shatters reality becomes a haunting nightmare.**

**Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership.**

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Chapter One: Thank You

The rain spilled out from the dark clouds as the sky wept. The sound of water splattering on cement was only one part of the storm's symphony.

Tohru looked almost sadly at the dark sky. The day had been perfect earlier, but any trace of sun was gone. They sound of an umbrella opening caused her to turn away from the torrential downpour.

"Are you ready to go Miss Honda?"

She smiled brightly and nodded. "Yes of course." Reaching into her bag she searched for her own umbrella. For a moment she thought that she had forgotten it. Despite the fact that it had rained every day prior to this one, it was very possible that she had neglected to pack it since the morning had been so beautiful. Her hand closed on the handle and she smiled in triumph. "There you are." She pulled it out and smiled at Yuki and Kyo.

"Let's just go," Kyo muttered tiredly.

Concern appeared briefly in her eyes before disappearing when she nodded. Her umbrella opened with a swooshing sound and she stepped out into the rain.

* * *

The pattering of raindrops filled the silence between the three of them. Several times she considered starting a conversation only to discard the idea. She raised her eyes to the ink stained sky, wondering when the rain would abate.

Lightning cut through the darkness followed by a deep roll of thunder that seemed to shake the ground.

Kyo glanced at her when he saw her jump from the corner of his eye. "Don't worry, we're almost home."

She smiled and nodded, but her heart still beat rapidly in her chest. A second knife lit up the sky and for a brief instant she saw a dark form on the side of the road. _What was that?_ The passing headlights offered no further clue. As they drew nearer the dark mass grew steadily clearer. Kyo and Yuki walked past, but she paused near it. The rain made it difficult for her to tell what it was. There was another flash of lightning and the shroud was briefly thrown aside. Her eyes widened when she saw the girl that lay on the side of the road.

Tohru was absent. Stopping, they turned around to look at her.

"Miss Honda," Yuki said, but she didn't respond. Walking back the way that they had come he stopped beside her. "Miss Honda, are you all right?"

"Y-Yes," she said. "But…" She turned to face him. "She needs our help."

He looked to where her gaze returned and his eyes widened.

_Earlier that day…_

The halls echoed the quiet footsteps of the girl as she walked towards the main office. With no one to see her in the early school hours she toyed with the sleeves of her uniform. She was starting late, the transfer having been a last minute occurrence with the sudden move. After receiving her test scores though from her former school they had eagerly admitted her. Now standing just a few short steps within the office she was nervous.

"Miss Dokaru."

She looked at the outstretched hand of the administrator before giving her hand to his strong grip. Their hands shook briefly and she then pulled her hand back to her side.

"I've been looking forward to your arrival."

It was difficult to tell if he was lying, but she suspected not. She remained silent and nodded in recognition to his words. He touched her arm lightly and turned her to guide her down through the door from which she had entered.

"Come along then."

He led her though the hallways and the different levels of the school. They passed several students and she felt the weight of their gazes before more important things distracted her. She listened to the administrator's voice, but it quickly became a blur of words. Overhead the bell rang and he pattered her shoulder while telling her that she shouldn't worry about being late. They stopped before a closed door and she watched him as he knocked. Within she heard movement before the door slid open.

"Mr. Sohma." Before he could utter a greeting the administrator was speaking again. "I apologize for interrupting, but I was hoping that you could do something for me."

"Yes, of course. What…?"

"Excellent. This," he said grasping her shoulders. "Is Shin Dokaru, our new transfer student. Miss Dokaru this is Yuki Sohma the class president. Now Yuki she is the newest member of your homeroom and I was hoping that you would be her guide for her first week."

"Yes, I would be…"

"Perfect. Now…" He patted his jacket pocket and withdrew a pen. "Do you have a scrap of paper that I could use?" he asked, looking at Yuki.

"One moment please." He disappeared within the room only to reappear shortly there after.

Taking the paper that was offered to him, the administrator quickly scribbled a note on it. After pocketing his pen he handed the paper to Shin. "Just give this note to your sensei Miss Dokaru. Now if you will excuse me."

She started to thank him only to silence herself and watch him as he disappeared around the corner. _He never introduced himself._

"Miss Dokaru."

Turning to him, she looked at him as she waited for him to continue.

"Welcome to our school." She nodded, but was silent. Meeting her dark gaze he suddenly felt as if he had been laid bare before her. "I'll show you to class," he said, turning away from her. Starting to walk down the hallway he could hear her soft footsteps as she followed him.

* * *

Mayu turned away from her class, pausing in her lecture.

Despite the annoyance that flickered in her eyes, Yuki came forward and handed her the note.

After reading the note she glanced past Yuki to the girl who stood just outside the doorway. She smiled slightly and motioned for her to enter. The students began to speak in hushed whispers, but a look silenced them. "You may call me Mayu-chan-Sensei," she said with a warm tone. "Welcome to our class Miss Dokaru."

Yuki glanced at the clock on the wall. "If you would excuse me sensei I should return to the meeting." He turned to Shin and smiled ever so slightly. "Miss Dokaru, I will meet you here after the bell."

She nodded and listened to his footsteps as he left the classroom.

"You may take a seat in the back, Miss Dokaru."

Ignoring the weight of her new classmates' gazes, she walked to the lone empty desk that had more than likely been added to the room in preparation of her arrival. Sitting down, she quickly pulled out a notebook and listened to the lecture that Mayu resumed shortly afterwards.

* * *

The bell echoed in the silent halls, the sound lingering even after it silenced after several seconds.

She took her time packing her bag, waiting for the classroom to empty before standing. Walking to the doorway, she paused for a moment. Their laughter was loud and she wished for the silence that was within the room behind her.

"Miss Dokaru."

Turning to face Yuki she stared at him, waiting for him to speak any form of instruction that he may have to give her.

He looked away to watch those that passed them. "There is no specific area where we must eat lunch. Is there somewhere that you would like to eat on the grounds?" he asked, turning back to her. She was silent and he was reminded of Machi. "If you wish you may join my friends or we could sit somewhere else." Her head lowered in what he assumed to be a nod. Though slightly confused as to what she had actually agreed to, he started walking in the direction that would lead them to the stairs.

The looks that followed them caused her to wonder. There was curiosity as she had expected, but in the eyes of most of the girls they passed there was hostility.

Yuki took a seat halfway down the staircase and after a moment she sad down two steps below him. It was quieter here, calmer. She glanced up at him and saw that he was unpacking a lunch that she had not noticed he had.

He glanced at her when she made no other move. "Are you hungry?" She shook her head and he watched her as she removed a book from her bag. He couldn't read the title or author, which was written in a foreign language. Knowing that she would not speak he didn't ask her what it was that she was reading. He glanced at her from time to time. She seemed oblivious until he looked at her again to see that she was staring at him. The bell rang and he shook his head to clear his feeling of unease before standing. She had all ready put her book away and was staring at the ground as she waited for him. He started walking up the stairs and sensed her following after him.

* * *

Several pages of her notebook had been filled within two hours. She glanced out the window. A bird flew by and then it was gone. Turning back to the front of the classroom she looked at Mayu again before resuming her notes.

There was only the sound of pens scratching on paper and every now and then the shuffle of a page as it was turned. Soft noises beneath the sound of Mayu's voice.

The students jumped when they heard a loud bang. Mayu looked at the window with her students. There was a smear of blood and a few feathers that stuck to the glass. "Damn it." The room suddenly became loud and she turned back to her students. "All right, quiet now. It's not…" She trailed off and sniffed the air, smelling smoke. Glancing around she looked for the source. There was an explosion of fire to her right and she stumbled back. She heard several screams and many of her students jumped to their feet. "Get out of the room. Now!" They rushed to the doorway and she thought to tell them to remain calm, but there was no clogged doorway and they had abandoned the room. She grabbed her jacket off of the back of her chair before walking to the trashcan. The fire fed on the discarded papers, but it was nothing that couldn't be easily put out.

* * *

The hall was crowded with students. Yuki glanced into the classroom as he passed, seeing many of the staff and an annoyed Mayu who held a burnt jacket. He sensed rather than saw her. Walking past the other students he eventually came across her standing before one of the windows. "Miss Dokaru." She glanced at him before turning away. "Are you all right?" he asked, coming to stand beside her. When she didn't answer he looked out the window and saw that several more students had gathered outside, his cousins and Tohru among them.

"Thank you."

Her voice was soft and he didn't realize at first that she had spoken. Turning to Shin her dark eyes met his before she turned and walked away, disappearing within the crowd.


	2. House Guest Patient

******Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

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Chapter Two: House Guest Patient

She lay on the sleeping mat, an almost peaceful expression on her face. Tohru stared at her, kneeling at her side as she kept vigil over the sleeping girl. Her face was pale, still startled over the fact that she had found her. She heard the door slide open and looked over her shoulder at Shigure.

"She's still asleep?"

Tohru nodded and turned back to her. "Shouldn't we do something?"

"I called Hatori. He said to leave her as she is until he arrives." His gaze settled on the palled face girl. "For now all we can do is keep her comfortable."

Again she nodded. A frown turned her lips down and she felt her worry rise to another level. The single thought of how she had ended up lying on the side of the road kept her attention. She could not help but wonder about what might have happened to her had they not found her.

"Tohru, you do not have to continue watching her. I can ask Kyo or Yuki to take your place."

"I would rather stay here."

He nodded in understanding. Her compassion and kindness continued to astound him. "You truly are an angel."

A blush crept across her face. "T-Thank you."

"If you need anything let me know."

"I will."

He smiled, remaining in the doorway for a moment longer before leaving. The door he left partially open in case she did call one of them. He glanced in the direction of the front door. When he had been speaking with Tohru he had thought that he had heard what sounded like knocking. He had not heard either of his cousins go to answer so he dismissed it as the wind. With the girl lying in the living room he had hoped that it had been Hatori arriving though, it would be impossible for the man to arrive so quickly. He entered the dining room and glanced at his two cousins. Both appeared to be lost in their thoughts. "What an interesting afternoon we're having," he said with a heavy sigh as he sat down. His comment received a look from both males.

"Is Hatori coming?" Yuki questioned.

"Yes, he said that he would be here as soon as he is able."

He nodded, his violet eyes lowering. _What happened to you Miss Dokaru?_ His gaze was on his hands, the palms stained by dry blood.

"Are you all right Yuki?"

"I am fine."

"You both are so quiet. I understand that you had a rough time this afternoon, but there's no need to be so solemn."

"Will you shut up?" Kyo growled, casting the elder male a glare.

Shigure flinched away and glanced at Yuki only to be greeted by a dark look.

He lowered his gaze, sighing heavily. At the current moment he didn't have the energy to remain frustrated with his cousin. It seemed that he always became tired whenever he was worried. Part of him wanted to join Tohru and keep watch over Shin. Another part, the strange voice, told him to remain where he was. It seemed to be the best decision for it appeared that Shin had been reluctant to be around him, despite the fact that she had obediently followed him wherever he had led her. "Miss Dokaru, what happened?"

"Who?"

His violet gaze met the dark gaze of Shigure. "That is her name, Miss Shin Dokaru."

"The transfer student? I thought that she looked familiar," Kyo mumbled.

Shigure's eyes widened ever so slightly, revealing his surprise. "You both know her?"

"Yes, she was placed in our class," Yuki said.

"How coincidental." His remark earned him two more dark looks. "That doesn't help really. We won't be able to do much until she wakes."

* * *

Tohru's gaze was unwavering, her expression one of deep concern. _I thought that she would be awake by now._ Her gaze shifted to the clock in the room before returning to the girl. Almost an hour had passed since they had first found her on the side of the road. Her gaze softened. _She's so young._

Shin lay still and pale. Her dark, tangled hair framed her face, still damp from the rain.

_She looks like she should be in Haru's and Momiji's grade._ Her youth had been first thing that she had noticed the moment that Shin had entered the classroom. It had been obvious by her appearance alone that she had not belonged. She had wondered why she was there, just as she wondered why she was here now. As she watched Shin's eyes opened, the dark orbs appearing to be glazed over. "Ho, y-you're awake."

The voice was unfamiliar. She turned her head in the direction of the source.

"Hello Miss Dokaru," she said with the apparent sign of recognition. "I'm sorry, I'm Tohru Honda. We're in the same class. Oh, you're probably wondering where you are." She glanced at the door before looking at Shin again. An explanation was needed, but she felt that she should also tell the others that Shin was awake as well. "Please excuse me." She bowed slightly before rising and leaving the room.

When she was gone, her eyes slid closed. A few minutes passed and she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Opening her eyes, she was met by the sight of a man standing in the doorway.

"It's good to see that you're awake. You had us all worried for a moment."

The man smiled at her. It was a comforting action, but she felt that something about him was wrong.

"My name is Shigure Sohma. This is my house." He left the doorway and knelt down in the spot that Tohru had earlier occupied. "I believe that you know my cousin Yuki. He, Tohru, and Kyo were the ones that found you. I'm sure that Tohru has all ready introduced herself. You'll be introduced to my cousin Kyo later." She gave no sign of acknowledgement, but he knew that she was listening. "I should probably focus on more important things now instead of just talking." He offered her another smile. "You were on the side of the road. How did you get there?"

The memory of rain and bright lights passing her quickly returned. Her feelings though, remained absent from her expression and her eyes.

When she neglected to answer, he nodded. "Is there someone that we can contact?" She shook her head and again he nodded. It was mildly frustrating how she was giving him no answers. Though, he didn't know what had happened to her so there could be a reason that she wasn't talking. Hearing the door open, he glanced at the room's door before rising. "Excuse me," he said before leaving. In the hall he was greeted by the sight of Yuki followed by Hatori a short distance behind him. "Thanks for coming Hatori." Hatori was silent and he followed his gaze to the partially open door. "She's awake. She just woke a few minutes ago."

"What happened to her?"

"We don't know," Shigure admitted, flinching in response to the look that Hatori gave him.

"Why didn't you take her to the hospital?" Hatori asked coolly.

"The house was closer." Hatori's look darkened. He steeped aside. "I'll just let you…"

Hatori passed him without a word. This was one of the instances that he questioned Shigure's intelligence. He paused in the doorway. His gaze lingered on Shin for a time before he looked away so that he could turn on the room's lights. Closing the door behind him, he moved to set his bag down next to her feet. "Hello Miss Dokaru. I am Doctor Hatori Sohma." She said nothing and he glanced at her before kneeling down at her side. Just by looking at her he knew that she suffered from blood loss. The amount though, he was unsure of. Pressing his fingers to the vein in her wrist, he watched the second hand on his wristwatch. "Can you tell me what happened?"

She watched him closely. He didn't press her for answers despite her silence. Instead he seemed to be more focused on measuring her heart rate. She knew though that this was a façade. "I collapsed."

He glanced at her to make sure that he had heard correctly and that he had not imagined her speaking. "We both know that was not all that happened." He released her wrist. "Will you sit up please?" She seemed to hesitate before doing as he asked. Putting the ear buds of his stethoscope into his ears, he then pressed the diaphragm to her chest. "Take a deep breath and release," he said. She did so and he moved the diaphragm thrice with each deep breath. Hearing nothing of any concern, he moved his hand from where he had placed it on her back to steady her. The sight of blood on his palm caused him to pause. Pulling the ear buds out, he let the instrument hand from his neck. "Will you remove your shirt please." She visibly tensed in response to his request. "Miss Dokaru, if you are injured then I must end to you. I will not harm you."

Her head lowered and she stared blankly at her hands.

* * *

The door closed securely behind him. Hatori sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. For a time he lingered outside of the door before going to the bathroom to wash his hands clean. By the time that he came to the dining room, the four were eating dinner. Tohru moved to stand, but sat down again when he raised his hand.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to eat dinner with us so I set an extra plate for you," Tohru said.

"Thank you, but I will be leaving shortly."

"Are you sure?" Shigure questioned. "Tohru has prepared an excellent dinner."

"I am sure that she did, but thee are some things that I need to do."

"That's your loss."

"How is Miss Dokaru?" Yuki asked.

"She will be fine."

Shigure glanced at Hatori before continuing to eat his rice. "Did she say what happened?"

"That information is confidential."

"Well that's not nice."

"Miss Dokaru is my patient. I will not break privilege."

"You took her on as your patient?" Hatori said nothing, but his expression was a clear answer. Wen he left the room, Shigure followed after him. "Hatori." He grasped his cousin's shoulder to keep him in the entryway.

"Keep her here. I'll be back tomorrow."

"All right." He released him and watched him leave. "Be safe." Hatori glanced over his shoulder at him. Giving a slight wave, he then closed the door. Putting on a pleasant façade, he rejoined the others at the dining table.

"So what's going on?" Kyo asked.

"I think that I will have seconds Tohru."

He narrowed his eyes and watched Tohru serve Shigure with annoyance. Reluctantly, he didn't pursue an answer.


	3. The Puzzlement of Knowing Others

**********Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

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Chapter Three: The Puzzlement of Knowing Others

The room was lit by a bright white light, that lasted for only a few seconds, before fading. A few short seconds later there was a low rumbling that started out loud before fading.

The floor shook from the sound waves. It was comforting. Shin closed her half-lidded eyes. The thunder quieted and she could more clearly hear the rain that was falling from the sky. It had been raining for several hours now, having started shortly after she had left the school. Another flash of lightning and her eyes opened, but just barely. Storms sang a strange lullaby. Most would not listen to it, believing it to be terrifying. She would always for it was too enchanting for her not to. It sung to her, lulled her to sleep. The lullaby did not do what it normally did now. She did not feel the pull to rest. It was very likely that it was because of her new, strange surroundings.

The door opened. For a moment light spilled into the room. A few seconds passed and then the door slid closed.

Her eyes opened after she had listened to the retreating footsteps. One of them had checked on her, most likely the mater of the house. She knew that, whoever it was, was making sure that she was still here. Several minutes passed and the house was silent. Pushing herself up into a sitting position, she grabbed her bag before stumbling to her feet. Taking special care to slide the door open as quietly as possible, she made certain that the hall was empty before stepping out. The door was closed behind her.

* * *

The door was opened slowly in an obvious attempt to not make any sort of sound. Poking her head through the doorway, Tohru glanced at the sleeping mat. "Miss Dokaru- Eh?" She blinked, wondering if she was just imagining that the room was empty. Stepping into the room, she looked around. "Miss Dokaru," she called quietly. When the girl failed to magically appear from some unknown hiding spot, she left.

"Good morning, Tohru," Shigure said pleasantly. When she startled, following his greeting, he frowned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She glanced over her shoulder before looking at the older man. Her gaze quickly turned to the floor.

"Tohru?"

She was silent. While she was not fearful of what his reaction would be, she did not know how to tell him. "Miss Dokaru... She is gone," she said, speaking the words slowly.

* * *

He paused in the middle of his paperwork to answer his phone. "Hello, this is-"

_"Hello, Tori."_

A frown darkened his features. Shigure's voice was too pleasant. "What is it?" he asked coolly. For several minutes it was silent on the other end of the line. He could almost picture his cousin trying to think of the best way to answer him.

_"Well, you see, our little house guest... She was gone this morning."_

He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "I told you to watch her."

_"She was asleep when I checked on her last night."_

"Shigure..."

_"Yes, I know."_

"We will talk later." He hung up before Shigure could answer. Rubbing his eyes, he sighed heavily before putting his glasses back on. This was far too irritating.

* * *

Her eyelids felt heavy. Turning her gaze to the window, Shin stared outside. From her seat, she could see the various students walking around, talking with their friends, living. The sound of the door opening turned her gaze to the front of the class room. It was one of her classmates whose name she did not know. Her gaze returned to the window.

Outside, the cold gray morning lightened until it was a pale blue color. The wispy clouds of the previous days were gone with the passing of the rain to another region.

She gazed at the sky, her expression thoughtful. Her thoughts were on that house, on those people who had helped her, on that doctor. He had been kind, more so than others that she had seen in the past. There had been a gentleness in his gaze. There had been honest concern. Within her, she felt a faint sense of guilt for having left. It was not her place to stay, whether she had wanted to or not.

* * *

There was the weight of eyes on her. They lingered on her for a brief moment before looking away only to return a few minutes there after. She was fairly certain that the gaze belonged to the one known as Tohru. When the girl had entered the classroom, she had looked as though she had wanted to speak to her. For a moment, she had thought that the girl would come over to her desk. To her own relief, though, she had not. Despite this though, her eyes continued to linger. She wondered what would happen if she turned around. Would they speak to one another? What would she say? She couldn't very well tell her that she would appreciate it if she stopped staring at her. There was no proof that Tohru was in fact the one who was doing so. She forced her thoughts away from talking to the girl and focused instead on the lesson that was being taught.

* * *

The bell caused the classroom to empty almost immediately. Rising from her desk, she gathered her bag and notebook before leaving the classroom. She glanced around the crowded hall, wondering where she should go. While she wanted to return to the classroom, she knew that it was best if she did not. Slowly, she walked through the throng of people to where she had spent her lunch period her first day at this school. Like that day, the stairwell was empty. Sitting down, she pulled a sketch book out of her bag.

The halls gradually quieted. There was only silence save for the intermittent footsteps.

With great care, she shaded the eyes that she had drawn, doing her best to make it look as though some life existed in them. Voices. She lifted her head and listened. It was a group of girls. A few minutes later they walked by, but didn't' see her. When it was quiet again, she returned to her project.

"Miss Dokaru."

She froze. Her gaze lifted to meet Yuki's. Where had he come from? She had not noticed him.

"Did I interrupt you?"

Her gaze lowered to her drawing. After a moment, she shook her head.

"May I join you?" When she nodded, he sat down a few steps behind her. She was not eating lunch, he noted. "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head. Closing her notebook, she tucked it and her drawing pencil away.

After a few minutes, he opened the box of food that Tohru had prepared for him. He ate in silence, his attention focused on his meal though, his thoughts remained elsewhere. "How are you?"

"I am fine," she whispered after a brief moment of hesitation.

He nodded, but didn't say anything.

She stared at the floor. Her gaze lifted to him, briefly before she quickly lowered her gaze again. "Are you well?"

Looking at her, he nodded. "I am. Thank you for asking." He was silent for a moment. "I have been concerned for your well being. You disappeared rather suddenly."

"There is no need to be concerned."

There seemed to be a finality in her tone and he said nothing more about the subject. Finishing his lunch in silence, he then set the box aside. Leaning back against the steps, he stared thoughtfully at the floor. How much time did he have before they would have to return to class? He could not be certain, but there was not too much time left.

He was still here. Why? She dared a second glance, trying to understand. Did he want something? He could not just be sitting here unless there was a reason. No longer, was he required to escort her around the school. She lowered her gaze. After a few uncomfortable minutes, she started to play with the hem of her skirt. Was she supposed to say something? The bell ringing drew her attention to the general source before she rose. Picking up her bag, she started to walk back to their classroom. Yuki was walking beside her. She kept her gaze down, trying to ignore the stares that were cast in their direction. There was hate and jealousy in some of the stares. She could feel it.

She was uncomfortable. He considered apologizing, but did not. Slowing down so that he was a few paces behind her, he tried to give her some more personal space. It occurred to him that he might have overstepped his boundaries, but he could not be sure. If he tried to approach her again, he supposed that he should be more careful. He could not be certain. She did not seem to be the wholly personable type. Then again, he couldn't judge her too quickly. Especially, after that night.


	4. Early Morning Encounters

******Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

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Chapter Four: Early Morning Encounters

Cold.

Her fingers were numb and it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain her grip on her pen. She set the writing instrument down and rubbed her hands together. It only helped a little. Standing up, she grabbed the blanket from her bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. A glance to the door. It was locked. She returned to her deck. The scratch of her pen and the intermittent rustle of paper were the only sounds that broke the silence. Time passed slowly. She paused in her work to glance at the clock a few inches away.

11:37 PM

It was almost midnight. She listened for a few minutes. When there was only silence, she returned to working. The English grammar wasn't too difficult. In a few years, perhaps sooner, she could consider herself fluent in the language.

A door closed.

The sound caused her to startle. Hurriedly, she turned off her lamp and the room became pitch black.

Floor boards creaked as if straining to hold up a heavy weight.

Turning her head, she looked at her door. Light filtered beneath it and into her room. The footsteps stopped. She waited, but nothing happened. Still, she waited. The door suddenly shook in its frame and she covered her mouth with her hand, silenced the startled cry that threatened to pass her lips. It was suddenly quiet. She held her breath, not making a sound. The silence couldn't be trusted. A loud bang caused her to jump. Following it, she listened to the door slamming closed. She released a shaky breath. Several minutes passed before she willed herself to leave her chair and lie down in her bed.

* * *

It was a cool morning. The sky was gray. Briefly, Yuki wondered if it would rain. He hoped that it didn't, but he could not control the weather. Tohru would most likely bring him the umbrella that he had forgotten to grab before he left. There were few lights on when he opened the front door to the school. He was too early. It was doubtful that any of the other council members were here yet. With a sigh, he started to make his way to the council room. As he climbed the stairs, he glanced at the other floors of the school. Aside from a few teachers and a janitor, there was no one else here. He was forced to stop when he caught sight of a dark form several steps above him. "Miss Dokaru."

Her dark gaze moved to his violet one. He had startled her. She did not think that there would be anyone else here this early in the morning.

"What are you doing here?"

She motioned to her unfinished school work.

"Did you need help?"

Shaking her head in a negative answer, she then lowered her gaze to her school work and started to write again.

He stood there, uncertain of what to do. It would be simple to just move around her, but that would mean that he would only reach an empty council room faster. That did not seem like a good option. A few seconds later, he sat down beside her.

She looked at him from the corners of her eyes, but said nothing.

Unable to help himself, he looked at the papers on her lap. It was English.

"The library was not open or else I would not be sitting here," she said quietly when he failed to divert his gaze.

He looked at her to make certain that he had in fact heard her speak. "You are not hurting anyone." She said nothing in response. He thought that he had caught the faintest twitch of her lips, but he might have just imagined it. "Are you adjusting to the school?" he asked. While he did not wish to disturb her further, he did not like the heavy silence either.

"Yes," she answered after several minutes. "It is nice."

"That is good to hear."

The silence resumed and was not broken this time. Yuki continued to watch her, but she was growing accustomed to his gaze. Several more sentences before she closed her book and tucked her work away within her bag. A quick glance at him before she lowered her gaze to her feet. "Why are you here?" she asked quietly.

"I have a council meeting. I am a little early."

She nodded, not certain about what she should say or if she should say anything at all.

"It looks like it might rain today." He looked at her. She was silent and he wasn't sure if she was interest in conversation or not. "Am I bothering you, Miss Dokaru?" She shook her head and he nodded. He diverted his gaze in favor of staring at nothing in particular. How much time was left until he would have to go to the council room? He wasn't certain, but there was probably, still, some time left.

"Yuki!"

The familiar voice caused him to startle.

Jumping, she looked with wide eyes to the source of the sound. A dark-haired boy was quickly ascending the stairs to them. Grabbing her bag, she stood and stumbled backwards up the steps.

He was not surprised that it was Kakeru who had disturbed the silence. With a sigh, he slowly stood up.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was just-" He turned to Shin and was surprised to find that she was gone.

Kakeru glanced to the empty space that Yuki was staring at. "Are you sure that you're awake, Princess?" Yuki's gaze suddenly turned on him. His violet eyes were dark. Taking a few steps back, he raised his hands up in defense.

He glared at him for a moment longer before turning and starting to ascend the stairs.

"So have you thought of any ideas for the upcoming festival?"

"No."

He shook his head. "You're the council president, Yuki. You need to think about these things."

"I'm sure that you have plenty of ideas."

"One or two."

His lips twitched with amusement.

She hid behind the corner when they neared her. The two continued forward and when they had passed, she peered after them. There was a smile on Yuki's lips. She only caught a glimpse of it before they both entered a classroom. Turning away, she made her way to her classroom.

* * *

It was her turn to clean the classroom. The orange haired boy, one of the Sohmas, had been left with the duty as well. Holding the broom loosely in her hands, she swept away the dirt that littered the floor.

Kyo glanced at Shin from the corner of his eye. She was silent, appearing to be absorbed in her task. There had been no recognition from her. There was no guarantee that she was even aware of the fact that he had been one of those that had helped her. It was irritating to say the least. He wasn't about to mention anything about it though.

There was a tension in the room that was difficult for her to not notice. A quick glance towards the boy was made. Lowering her gaze, her hold on the broom handle tightened.

She was too quiet. How had he ended up cleaning the classroom with her? He vigorously scrubbed the desks. Briefly, he wondered if the others had waited for him. Tohru would have, but that Yankee or the Hanajima girl might have dragged her off somewhere. He glanced at Shin again. She had moved to the back of the classroom and was currently picking up some papers that had fallen to the floor.

The papers made a quiet rustling sound when she threw them into the trash can. Some of the papers had appeared to be important, but she had been instructed to throw away anything that had been discarded onto the floor. It was her peers' fault for forgetting such things.

A sudden crack of thunder caused him to look out the window. The sky was dark. There was no rain that he could see or hear. At least, none as of yet. He lowered his gaze. Walking to the closet, he put away the cloth and cleaning supplies that he had been using. "Are you done?"

She nodded, but said nothing.

His crimson gaze left her. "I'm going to go."

The door closed behind him. Walking slowly to the closet, she put the broom away before going to gather her belongings. She took her time. There was no rush.

* * *

When he first stepped outside he saw no one. His name, called out by a familiar voice, drew his attention to the left. Tohru was there, walking over to where he stood. He moved to meet her halfway. The first of the raindrops struck his face. She had a second umbrella in her hand and he took it gratefully. No sooner had he opened it then the sky opened up and the rain started to pour down on them.

"Yuki will be here in a moment."

The mention of his cousin's name caused him to cringe. Tohru didn't appear to have noticed.

* * *

The halls were empty. Her footsteps sounded louder then they actually were. There was something about it that she did not like. The front door was a few short feet away. Though, this place was empty, she was not certain if she was ready to leave. Just when she reached the door, it opened. There was a larger hand holding it open. Following the arm to the individual, she was met with an almost kind look from Yuki. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"You are welcome." She stepped outside and he followed her. A glance showed him where his cousins and Tohru waited. "I am sorry that I missed you at lunch, Miss Dokaru."

Lunch. That time had been spent in the library. She wanted to tell him that it was her fault that she had not been outside of the classroom, that she had not waited for him, that she had not allowed him to complete the duty that had been assigned to him. Even if that duty had been completed already, he still felt the need to be kind to her for one reason or another. Starting to voice her own apology, she stopped when he started to speak again.

"Maybe you would like to eat lunch with myself and my friends tomorrow."

"I... I don't know." She turned her gaze to the wall that stretched out at the front of the school. "I am sorry. I have to go. I am needed at home." The last few words were like poison on her lips.

She had spoken so quickly and quietly that he almost didn't understand her. "It is alright. Have a nice evening, Miss Dokaru."

Nodding, she started to leave only to paused after a few seconds. She turned and bowed slightly. "You as well," she whispered before leaving the school's grounds, making certain that she did not walk too quickly, that she didn't look like she was running away.

His gaze lingered on her for a moment and he couldn't help but notice that she did not have an umbrella.

"Yuki."

He turned to Tohru and accepted the umbrella that she offered him.

"Let's get going," Kyo grumbled.


	5. Overcast

******Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

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Chapter Five: Overcast

It was a dreary morning. The remnants of the previous night's storm still lingered. Every now and then the clouds would open up and there would be a spattering of rain. Those moments became fewer as the early morning hours ended and the day began.

Kyo walked with his shoulders hunched forward. He felt terrible. "Stupid rain," he muttered.

Tohru wanted to comfort him, to cheer him up somehow. She didn't know what she could do or say that would make him feel better. Her gaze moved to the beaded bracelet around his wrist. It was because of the curse. She was reminded again of how she needed to stop this, that she needed to end it.

* * *

The classroom was quiet. It was unusual. There seemed to be a sense of laziness and maybe even depression. The school almost always seemed to be like that though whenever there was the threat of rain hanging over the area. It was a dark cloud.

The mood was one that she was not fond of. Tohru found herself glancing at Kyo often. His chin was resting on his hand and his thoughts appeared to be places other than in the classroom. If only the familiar liveliness of their peers would return so that it would either raise his spirits or make him angry. Anything would be better than this. The class meeting that was to occur this afternoon though, might be able to do just that.

* * *

His invitation from the previous evening had gone unanswered. He hadn't expected much from her. It seemed as though he had caught her off guard. Despite the lack of a definite answer from her, he still looked for Shin before class. He didn't want to pressure her though, he still would like some response from her. However, he had been in a similar position before. He had isolated himself once. That time seemed so long ago now. Maybe... Shin was no where that he searched. Despite this, he waited for her when the lunch bell rang. When the classroom had complied, he glanced inside to see if she had chosen to remain in there. All of the desks were empty. "Did I miss her leave?" He did not think that he had.

* * *

"Yuki."

Tohru's greeting and beaming smile from a small smile to his lips.

"Where did you run off to, Prince?" Uo asked, glancing up at him.

"I had... something to do."

"You shouldn't work so hard, Yuki. You'll make yourself sick," Momiji chimed.

No one had noticed the hesitation in his words though, Saki might have. The dark-haired girl appeared to be ignorant to the short exchange of words though. He nodded to his cousin who then quickly concerned himself with his meal. Sitting down with them, he opened the boxed lunch that had kindly been prepared for him that morning.

* * *

Those who worked in the main office today had not been pleased when she showed up in the room.

"Do you have an excuse?"

She shook her head. What would they say if she told them the reason? The man that she had been speaking to filled out a slip of paper after typing something into the computer. She took the paper from him.

"Do not make this a habit, Miss Dokaru."

Nodding her understanding, she left the office. The hall was mostly empty. There were a few students who were wandering around, favoring the school to the outdoors. She paused at one of the windows. Most of the students had gathered out on the lawn for lunch. Yuki had invited her to join him and his friends today. Had he waited for her again? She hoped that he hadn't. Starting to walk again, she made her way to the library.

* * *

Shin was sitting at her desk when he came to class after lunch. The classroom was mostly empty so he walked over to her.

She didn't look at Yuki. Instead, she kept her gaze on the notebook before her.

"Miss Dokaru."

"I am sorry," she interrupted. "I was tardy this morning." She had not wanted to speak to him and yet she felt compelled to.

"I see. Would you like the notes that you missed?" It was a while before she answered him with a yes. "I will give them to you after the class meeting."

There was a meeting today. She had forgotten about it.

The teacher entered the classroom and he excused himself before going to his desk.

When he was gone, she relaxed a little.

* * *

"We need to figure out what we would like to do for the festival. As popular as the rice balls have been in the past, I think that it would be better to do something new this year. Do you have any suggestions, President Yuki?"

"No, I"m afraid that I don't."

Tired.

"Does anyone have any ideas?"

Her dark gaze drifted to the window. The sun was no longer obscured by the clouds from earlier. The sky was clear and blue. Around her, the voices of her classmates became like white noise.

"No, I don't think that flowers would be the best thing for us to do."

"How about candy?"

"That sounds good."

There was a murmur of agreement.

A bird was flying. It was too far away for its species to be known.

"We can't buy them."

"Why not?"

"Does anyone know how to make them?"

"What about Honda?"

"Honda, do you know a recipe?"

"No, but I could find one."

"I heard that another class was going to sell candies."

"Seriously?"

A soft touch to her arm startled her. She flinched away from the hand and looked at the one to whom the appendage belonged to. It was Tohru Honda. There was an apologetic look on the girl's face.

"Do you have any ideas?"

She shook her head and looked away. The bird was gone. Her gaze returned to the front of the classroom.

"So are we all in agreement then?"

"Yes."

"Definitely."

"Alright then. Tomorrow we'll have another meeting to discuss what type of candies will be made, who will make them, and what other duties that our class has been assigned."

There was a small commotion as belongings were gathered and students filed out of the classroom.

"Miss Dokaru."

She paused partway through the doorway.

"If you would like you are welcome to come to my house to copy the notes."

His house. She could remember when she had woken up there.

"Miss Dokaru?"

"Is that what you prefer?"

He had a feeling that was the closest answer that he would get to a yes. If he was right.

She followed him out of the school. Kyo and Tohru were both waiting for Yuki. Tohru smiled softly at her and she looked away.

"Miss Dokaru will be at the house for a short time."

"That's wonderful," Tohru exclaimed.

They started walking and she trailed behind the three. Her gaze shifted between their backs and the sidewalk.

* * *

Shigure looked with confusion at the girl behind Tohru and his cousins. "Come in," he said when she made no move to enter the house. "Welcome back," he said pleasantly.

He remembered her. She had hoped that he wouldn't have. Taking off her shoes, she then followed Yuki to the room that he led her to. There was a table and after a moment she knelt down on the floor.

Yuki took a notebook from his bag and offered it to her. "If you have any questions I'll try my best to answer them."

A nod before she opened the notebook. Taking out her own notebook, she then started to copy the notes that he had taken.

The door did open and Yuki started to help Tohru with the tray of tea that she was carrying.

"I have it."

She set the dray down on the table. "Would you like some?" she asked Shin. After the girl had shook her head no, she poured both herself and Yuki some tea.

"Thank you, Miss Honda."

* * *

Shigure glanced into the room as he walked by. The three were absorbed in their school work. Kyo was nowhere to be seen. He continued to his office and slid the door tightly shut. Sitting down, he started at the phone for a few minutes before picking it up and dialing a number.

* * *

Notes filled the pages of her notebook. She closed Yuki's and offered it to him. "Thank you."

Tohru glanced up. Shin's voice was quiet and it seemed as though it was not sounded often.

"You're welcome."

She started to put her books away.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Looking at Tohru, she then shook her head. "I should be returning home."

"Oh, alright."

She stood and walked to the front hall. After she slipped on her shoes, she glanced at Yuki before bowing slightly. "Have a nice evening."

"You as well." He opened the door for her and she left the house. When she was partway down the path, that would take her to the street, she regretted not having accepted Tohru's invitation. It would have been nice to have stayed. She started to walk more slowly, enjoying the quiet and the security of the land.

* * *

"Where did Miss Dokaru go?" Shigure questioned when he saw only Tohru and Yuki in the room.

"She needed to return home," Tohru said.

"I see."

"Is something-"

"Hatori will be having dinner with us."

"Thank you for telling me. Dinner should be done in one hour."

"I'll remember that."


	6. For Reasons Unknown

******Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

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Chapter Six: For Reasons Unknown

The whole experience had been an oddity. She was uncertain of what she should think of it. Yes, he had extended a similar offer to her before. Still... It would be best to avoid all of them to the best of her ability. The festival meetings would make that difficult, but she could easily skip the meetings.

"Shin! I mean... Miss Dokaru!"

That sounded like Tohru. She glanced over her shoulder, not certain if she had heard correctly and was not simply imagining the girl. Tohru was there, walking purposefully towards her. She continued to the library. She heard her name a second time. Quickly entering the library, she stepped behind one of the shelves. Listening, she heard no sign that Tohru had followed her.

"Who are you hiding from?"

She startled. Turning, she found herself face to face with Kyo.

He was reminded of a frightened child. Her dark eyes were wide and she looked like she didn't know what to do.

"I-I... I was..."

"I didn't mean to-" He stopped when another person entered the aisle.

"I'm sorry." Tohru glanced at Kyo when he moved away before looking at Shin again. "I know that I'm following you, but I wanted to say hello." She offered Shin a smile.

Her gaze lowered to the ground. There was something about Tohru's smile that she couldn't explain. "Hello," she said quietly.

"How are you?"

"Well." She glanced at the shelf of books beside her, refusing to look at Tohru. "How... How are you?"

"Fine. Thank you for asking."

Kyo glanced at the two. It was clearly evident that Shin was uncomfortable. Tohru appeared to be oblivious to this, but she might be choosing to ignore it too. The girl was very stubborn.

"You should join us for lunch."

This was the second time that she was asked this. It wasn't a question this time though. She dared a quick glance at Tohru. Was she being given an option? "I... I cannot. I have work that I must do and that period is the only time that I have," she said quickly.

"Oh, I see." She bit her lower lip. "Are you sure? You can always do the work with us."

A glance was cast to where the door would be. It was to too for away. She would only have to-

"You can try it once. If you don't want to eat with us again afterwards then that's okay. I would just really like you to join us."

No, there would be no room for her to deny this request, order, whatever this was. After a prolonged hesitation, she nodded.

* * *

Tohru cast furtive glances at Shin. The dark-haired girl's gaze was on their teacher. She appeared to be absorbed in the lesson. A glance at the clock showed that it would not be longer before the bell would sound. A smile played on her lips. That time wouldn't come soon enough.

The bell rang loudly. As her peers left the classroom in an almost hasty manner, she slowly packed her bag. She sensed more than saw Tohru come to stand beside her.

Uo stopped when she realized that Tohru was not leaving the classroom with them. "Are you coming?" she questioned the brunette.

"Yes."

A quick glance to Tohru before Shin rose and followed the girl from the classroom. There were two other girls in the hall.

It seemed that Tohru had adopted another one. Uo studied the dark-haired girl that had trailed after her friend. She knew that the new student was quiet, but she wondered what about her had drawn Tohru's attention. A glance to Hana, but her friend offered nothing of what her thoughts were.

* * *

It was noisy. They were eating inside today. Students were closed in around them. It was uncomfortable. She would much prefer to be in the stairwell or even to be outside.

A frown darkened Tohru's features. Shin was not eating. The girl had absorbed herself in whatever work it as that she was working on. There was not even any sign that she had brought any food with her. "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

This time she nodded her head.

Tohru removed some food from her own lunch and slid it over to her.

Kyo watched Tohru's actions. Shin did not react. The moment that she looked away though, he saw Shin look at the food. It appeared as though she was uncertain if she should accept it or not. Shin looked between Tohru and the food before, as he watched, she pulled it closer to her. There was something possessive about the action. It was curious. He lowered his gaze when she looked in his direction.

The weight of her crimson gaze was heavy. Even after he had finally looked away it was several minutes before she reached for the food. When she was certain that no one was looking in her direction she broke off a piece of the water and put it into her mouth. It was good. Folding the napkin closed around it, she then tucked the remainder of the food within her bag.

Her actions were strange to say the least. Tohru said nothing about it though. At least Shin had taken the food.

* * *

The meeting had started almost immediately after the end of the class. They were still discussing who was to be the one who would make the candies.

"We should just do it," Uo commented in a bored manner. "It would make things a hell of a lot simpler."

"You would want to?" Tohru asked.

"Sure. It could be fun."

"Would you help us, Hana?"

"Of course."

"Excellent."

Tohru looked with wide eyes at the girl who was in charge of the meetings.

"Thank you for volunteering."

"You're welcome."

"Now that we have our cooks we can discuss the other duties of our class. We are to be greeters and we will need five volunteers." She sighed heavily when no hands were raised. "I see." She looked at Yuki. "I think that it would be best to assign students to this duty," she said in a quieter tone. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"I believe that my cousin Kyo would gladly serve as a greeter."

"What the hell are you saying?"

"Excellent." She turned and wrote Kyo's name on the board.

"Poor Kyo."

"Shut up."

"You'll have to change your attitude."

Kyo cast a dark look to Yuki before growling something under his breath.

"We'll need one more person."

"What? I didn't volunteer!"

"Like hell I'm going to do that."

"Have the new girl do it."

"Miss Dokaru, would you like to be a greeter?"

"Why are you asking her?"

"You didn't ask us. Why is she so special?"

Shin lifted her gaze to the girl that stood beside Yuki. She said nothing.

"Calm down. You're acting like this will be hard." She looked at Shin. When the girl offered no objection, she wrote her name down. "Well, that's done." She smiled at her peers. "There's nothing else to discuss. I would like a few of you to stay behind and help build our stand. Have a nice night."

She waited for most of her peers to leave the classroom before leaving her desk. As quickly as she was able to, she made her way out of the classroom. The hall was slightly crowded as some of her classmates lingered to talk.

"You're going to have to come out of that shell of yours if you're going to be a greeter."

A hand closed on her shoulder and she immediately pulled away.

Uo pulled her hand back. "Sorry' she said when she saw Shin's startled expression. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

She nodded. Taking a deep breath to calm herself she then looked at the blonde.

"We're going to Hana's house to cook. Would you like to come with us?"

Shin looked at Hanajima, whose name she had learned at lunch.

"You are more than welcome," Hana said.

"Thank you, but I have things-"

"Bring it with you. It won't hurt you to hang out with us," Uo said when she saw her hesitancy.

After much delay she nodded.

"Great." Uo moved to pat her on the shoulder, but pulled her hand away when she flinched. "Let's get going. Tohru said I still have to work tonight." She glanced into the classroom, where Tohru had lingered to spend with Yuki. "Dokaru is coming with us. Are you ready?"

"Yes." she offered Yuki a smile before hurrying out into the hall.

Tohru seemed to be very happy. This girl smiled a lot though.

"Do you need to stop by your house?" Uo questioned.

"No," Shin answered after a moment. Nothing more was said. She followed them through the streets to the station. The train that they took was the one that came after hers. Sitting down on an empty seat, she kept her gaze on her hands. The faces in this train were unfamiliar. After an unknown amount of time the train lurched to a stop. A few minutes later it started to move again. She tensed when her arm was touched when they reached the third stop. A glance to Hana before she obediently rose and followed the three from the train.

* * *

The neighborhood was quiet and well kept. They passed several houses before finally walking to one of the front doors.

Hana opened the door, stepping aside as the others entered before closing the door.

There was a dark-haired boy on the staircase. He was Hana's brother, she assumed.

"This is my younger brother Megumi. Megumi, this is Shin Dokaru."

"Hello." He looked at Tohru and Uo. "What are you doing?"

"We're going to be making some candy," Tohru answered.

Megumi nodded before going upstairs.

Hana followed after him. When Tohru and Uo ascended the stairs as well, she trailed after them. They entered a room that Shin assumed to be Hana's. There was a table that Uo and Tohru knelt down at and she did the same.

Leaving the room, Hana returned a moment later with a tray of snacks. She set the tray down before kneeling in the empty space.

Shin looked at the offered snacks. Hesitantly, after the others had taken what they wanted, she took some for herself. A glance to them before she took a small bite. A moment later, she started to nibble at the food that she had taken. It was good and it made her too aware of her hunger. When she finished eating, she looked at the tray of snacks, but did not take any more.

"You may take more if you would like," Hana said.

"Thank you. I am satisfied,' she said quietly.

She was lying, but she said nothing about that.

Uo leaned back and glanced at the clock on the desk. They had some time before they would have to start.

* * *

Appetizing scents drifted from the kitchen. It was thick and coated the three like a perfume.

"I think that we got the recipe right," Uo said, peering at the boiling contents. "What does the thermometer say?"

"One hundred-seventy-five degrees." Tohru looked at Hana. "Do you have the tray?"

"Yes."

"Great. Do you think that everyone will like it?"

"We can have Megumi and Dokaru test it."

"I believe that we have reached the temperature that we needed."

"Eh!" Quickly, Tohru turned and moved to grab the pot.

Uo stopped her before she burned herself. With oven mitts on her hands, she removed the pot from the hot burner and set it on a cool one. "Here," she said, giving Tohru a spoon.

Taking it, she started to put small amounts of the pot's contents on the tray that Hana held.

* * *

The smell from the kitchen made her stomach growl. Shin hunched over and tried to focus on her schoolwork.

"Why aren't you helping them?"

Looking up, she turned her head and saw Megumi standing a few feet away from her.

"You're one of their friends. That's why you're here."

"I don't know."

"Hey!"

They both turned to where the voice had sounded.

"We need you two to try this," Uo said. "Tell us if it is good or not."

For one reason or another Shin found herself standing and walking into the kitchen.


	7. Too Much

******Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

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**Chapter Seven: Too Much**

A small bag was set on the corner of her desk. For now it was ignored in favor of the food that she had saved from lunch. It did not taste as good now, several hours later, but it still satisfied her hunger. There was not much that Tohru had given her and in a few minutes nothing remained on the napkin. She was still hungry. Shin glanced at the clock. It was not too late. She could go to the refrigerator. It would be easier to eat the candy that the three had given her, but she wished to save it for a little while. Standing up, she walked to her door. She listened for a moment before unlocking the door. After a quick glance around, she padded out of her room and made her way to the kitchen. Once in there, she stopped and listened again. Opening the door, the light from within the refrigerator illuminated the dark kitchen. She looked at the few options. After a few minutes, she pulled out a carton of milk. Sniffing it, she was satisfied to find that it was not spoiled. She grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it before pulling the carton away. More would need to be bought soon. Finding a package of crackers she then returned to her bedroom. The door was locked behind her.

* * *

"Good morning."

Her tone was pleasant. Her smiled was bright. It was a lovely sight for the morning. "Good morning," Shigure said. He watched as she cooked at the stove. Tohru was up earlier than usual. "What are you doing?"

"Making dinner. I will be going to Hana's house again this evening."

"Would you like some help?"

"No, I can do this on my own."

He nodded and walked over to the fridge. Looking inside, he found that they were out of milk. Kyo would not be happy. He thought to say something to Tohru, but she was busy and she would not be home this afternoon. Closing the refrigerator door, he then helped himself to some of the rice that had been prepared.

Tohru glanced at him as he left the room. Her attention quickly returned to the meal that she was preparing. It was almost done. Leaving it unattended for a moment, she grabbed two containers that she could store the food in. Returning to the stove, she turned it off before the meal was burned.

Something smelled good. Wandering into the kitchen, Kyo glanced at Tohru. She was busy packaging some food. It wasn't difficult for him to guess that she wouldn't be home for dinner. Going to the refrigerator he opened the door and frowned. "We're out of milk."

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at him. "I forgot to buy some yesterday. I can go get some now."

"No, it is alright." He closed the refrigerator door with a sigh. After pulling out a bowl from the cupboard, he helped himself to the rice. Leaning against the counter, he watched Tohru. It appeared as though she was not just going to be missing dinner, but that she would not be coming home tonight at all.

The weight of his gaze caused a strange sensation on the back of her neck. She glanced at him, trying to discern the reason. "Can I do something for you, Kyo?"

"No." He set the empty bowl in the sink. Rinsing it out, he then set it aside.

She watched Kyo as he left the kitchen. Turning her attention back to her current task she finished after a few more minutes. With that done, she cleaned the dishes that she had dirtied before thinking about eating. When she stepped into the dining room, she was surprised to find that it was empty. She had thought that she would have found Shigure in here, but it seemed that he had decided to eat his breakfast in his office. Sitting down, she slowly ate her meal. Everything that she had needed to do was done. The only thing left to do right now was to go to school. It would be a slow day, she knew, today.

* * *

Where had they gotten all of this paperwork from? It had not been here the day before. He was rather certain of that. Yuki flipped through the multiple pages. Kakeru had to be behind this. The two younger council members would not have done such a thing and Kimi... Well, she could have as well, but her dislike of work excluded her.

"Good morning."

Yuki looked up when Kakeru entered the room.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the look that he was being given. "What?" His gaze lowered to the papers when Yuki motioned to them. "That? It isn't anything important. It shouldn't take too long to finish."

"Where did it come from?"

"I'm not sure. One of the club presidents gave it to me and said something about finances and needing to talk to the dean."

He frowned and looked through the papers again. This wasn't their job. Kakeru should not have accepted these. He stacked the papers before standing up and walking over to Kakeru. There was a loud noise when he dropped the papers onto his desk.

"What are you doing?"

"They gave it to you. I'm sure that you'll have no trouble completing this."

"But-"

He waved off the words. "I'll see you this afternoon," he said before leaving.

Kakeru looked at the sizable stack of papers. Yuki was cruel and there was no one else here for him to pass this off to. He had not thought that he had been such an influence on the school's prince. At the moment, he wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

* * *

Too much noise. There was far too much noise. Why? Why did they find it necessary to cause so much of a ruckus?

Shin resisted the urge to cover her ears and to block out the noise from all around her. Only a few more hours would pass until this was over. Only a few more hours until she could leave. Her head lowered slightly. It was the only sign of her current discomfort. Picking up her pen, she tried to focus on writing down the notes that she needed to be copying. Whatever it was that the teacher was saying, she barely heard any of it. None of it she would remember later until she read through her papers again. As it was, she lost track of the time until there was the shrill scream of the bell and the voices became louder. A hand closed on her shoulder and she flinched away from the touch.

"Miss Dokaru."

She looked at the man. He was looking at her with some concern. Her gaze diverted. She didn't want to hold his gaze any longer than necessary.

"Are you alright? You look pale."

"I'm fine," she answered quickly.

"Would you like to go to the nurse's office?"

"No." She had answered too quickly. Her gaze met his. "Thank you, Sensei."

He nodded before moving away.

She watched him move away from her and return to the desk. He was taking his time leaving the room, gathering papers and then tucking them away within his briefcase.

"Have a nice afternoon."

"You as well." Finally, he left. She closed her notebook. A glance was made out the door to the hallway. There were a few people walking by the classroom. The numbers were fewer now. Opening her bag, she pulled out her sketchbook.

"Miss Dokaru."

She startled. Her gaze moved to Yuki.

"Will you be joining us for lunch?"

"No."

He nodded. "Have a nice lunch, Miss Dokaru."

She said nothing and waited for him to leave. It was several seconds before he did. The door was closed behind him. It was something that she appreciated. She didn't want to be bothered. She just wanted to be left alone.

* * *

The papers were gone. He wasn't sure if they would be, but he was glad that Kakeru had completed the work. There was nothing left to do. The reprieve was nice to have. When he stepped outside there was no one waiting for him. Tohru had left with friends and Kyo had gone, not that he had expected his cousin to wait for him. As he walked down the street he saw Shin on the other side of the road. She was walking slowly, as if she were in no hurry to reach where ever she was going. He thought to go to see her. Something kept him from doing so. Turning his gaze forward, he walked on.

A car horn blared. The sound of tires screeching followed.

Yuki looked in the direction that the noise had come from. There was nothing to be seen. There was no cause for the brief moment of chaos that he could see. It was strange, but nothing that was too unusual.


	8. Festival

******Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Festival**

There was an annoying sound. It was loud and cut through the haze of sleep like a knife. Opening once dark eye Shin stared at the alarm clock. She didn't want to move. Staying in her bed sounded like a good idea. It was an excellent idea actually. The idea may have actually been possible if the alarm was not still sounding. She propped herself up enough so that she could reach her clock and shut the alarm off. After some fumbling she managed to turn it off. She laid back down and closed her eyes. There was something that she needed to do. What it was though, she couldn't quite remember.

* * *

"Look at all of the people."

"I know! I can't believe it!"

"It is one hour until the festival begins. You would think that they would have better things to do," Uo said.

"This is good though. Everyone worked so hard."

Uo gave Tohru a fond smile. "Of course."

"Kyo, why aren't you in your costume yet?"

"Shut up," he growled at Momiji. "Why are you even in here? Don't you have your own class to bother?"

"He's not bothering anyone, carrot top."

Kyo glared at Momiji when the younger boy stuck his tongue out at him before hiding behind Tohru. The idea of putting curry on Momiji's tongue crossed his mind. It was a good one and he would have to act on it later.

"What are you smirking about?"

"None of your damn business, Yankee."

"What's wrong? Did someone spit in your cereal?"

"Shut up!"

Yuki stopped short of entering the room. A glance inside told him that it would be a good idea to avoid the argument between the two. Turning around, he started to walk back to the Council room.

Tohru looked at the door. She thought that she had seen Yuki, but the face had vanished too quickly for her to be certain. She waited, but he or she failed to reappear.

"Tohru, Kyo is being mean."

She turned her head to see Momiji holding his head. Sighing in exasperation, she then gave Kyo a half-hearted look before starting to reassure the younger boy.

Momiji was spoiled. Tohru cared too much for the boy. He cast a glare at his cousin before going to his desk. Sitting down, he folded his legs before propping his feet up on the flat surface. His gaze turned to the window and remained there.

"You should put your costume on, Kyo," Momiji said. He frowned when he was ignored. "Kyo. Please." There was still no response.

It was very easy to ignore him. However, it became more difficult when she joined Momiji's attempts. She had moved to stand in front of him, the desk between them. His diverted gaze and a crow sitting in the window had allowed him an opportunity to no look at him.

"Kyo."

Her voice was a subconscious prompt for him to look at her. _Damn it._

"Will you please put on your costume, Kyo? I understand if you really don't want to, but-" Tohru's eyes widened when the garment was taken from her hands. She watched as Kyo abandoned the classroom with a scowl etched on his features.

A satisfied smirk painted Momiji's features. He had the sense to not say anything that would make Kyo snap. At least, not now.

* * *

_Damn it._

"Nice outfit, Kyo-kun."

Scowling, he folded his arms.

"I like the enthusiasm."

Tohru was not as innocent as she appeared. He was certain of that. She was manipulative. IF she weren't he would not be standing in front of the school in this stupid costume.

"Kyo-san."

"What the hell do you want?" he growled, fixing the class leader under his glare.

"Don't talk to me like that."

With a huff he looked away.

"Have you seen Dokaru?"

"No."

She sighed heavily and looked away. "I see... Well, get ready for the crowd. We're going to let them in now."

"Whatever." He heard her walk away, but he didn't' bother to say anymore words to her.

* * *

The school was noisier than it normally was. Even from down the street she could hear the sounds of the crowd. Thankfully, she would not have to go too far inside. Weaving through the group of people she managed to make it to the front entrance. Kyo Sohma was standing there dressed in traditional robes. He was monitoring how many people were entering the school grounds. She felt a measure of guilt. He didn't appear too pleased. Carefully, she approached him before standing at her designated place.

"You're late, Dokaru." He glanced at her. She didn't meet his gaze. Sighing, he held out the stack of papers that he had been handing out.

She flinched when he moved suddenly. Looking at the papers, she glanced at him before taking them. She clutched them to her chest.

"You don't need to be so nervous. I'm not going to yell at you."

A slight nod.

"Here." He pulled a name tag out of his pocket and offered it to her. "Put it on."

She took it with a quiet thank you. Balancing the papers in her hands, she managed to put it on. A woman came up to her. She handed her one of the sheets. A moment later several more people approached them. There were too many visitors. A few people asked her some questions, but she had difficulty forming any sot of answers. Thankfully, Kyo took over the role of speaking, giving them short and curt responses.

He couldn't stand this. A note was made to thank the genius who volunteered him for this job. Another group came up to them. Shin remained silent. He supposed that she could be useless and do nothing so he supposed that he would live with answering all of the questions. A few people left so he waved the group in. How people could go to these things was a puzzle. He supposed that the festivals could be enjoyable. Such gatherings though were pointless.

The crowd thinned out until no more people came to the entrance. She relaxed. Though it was very noisy behind her she felt somewhat calmer. Hearing a heavy sigh, she glanced up at Kyo to see that he had folded his arms and leaned against a wall.

In his peripheral vision he could see that she was watching him. "What?" She didn't look away immediately, but eventually did shortly after he looked at her. Frowning, he looked away. "Do you know how to talk?" He glanced at her to see her nod.

It was a strange question that he had asked. Surprisingly, it was one that she had never heard before.

"Why were you late?" He wasn't sure why he had asked. She wasn't one that he particularly cared much about. Sure, he had helped her off the side of the road, but that was it.

"I slept in," she said quietly.

He barely heard what her answer was. It was a pain. He didn't manage to miss it though. Her answer prompted him to roll his eyes. She was as bad as the rat.

There was a smirk on his lips. Was her act of sleeping in so amusing? She supposed that it was better than anger though, no reaction at all might have been better.

* * *

"Heads up. Here comes some more."

Tohru glanced up to see another fairly large crowd entering the classroom. She turned to grab another tray of candies only to have it handed to her by Hanajima. "Thank you, Hana," she said with a smile.

"I didn't think that this would be so popular."

"You should have known better," Uo said to the younger classmate, who had strayed into the room.

The boy only shrugged before leaving.

"I think that we did a good job," Tohru commented to herself.

"So it seems."

She startled and looked with wide eyes at Hatori. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Yuki."

"Did he miss an appointment?"

"No."

There was something in his tone that alarmed her. She immediately uttered an apology. Before she could utter a second one she was silenced by him shaking his head.

"I just need to ask him something."

"Oh, okay. I don't know where he is."

"I'll just wait here for a few minutes if that is alright."

"Of course." She looked around for a chair for him to sit in, but he had already moved to a corner out of the way from everyone else.

* * *

"Dokaru."

The sharp tone startled her. She turned to see another student approaching her. At first she did not recognize her, but she realized, after a moment, that she was the class leader.

"It is nice of you to finally show up."

She bowed her head in silent apology.

"Dokaru showed up after you left. Her train got held up." He met the class leader's gaze, daring her to question him.

After a short time she nodded her head, appearing to be satisfied with the excuse. "You two can go inside. We're not going to let anyone else in."

When their peer was gone she looked at Kyo, more than a little surprised. She wasn't sure if she should thank him or not. "You did not need to lie for me."

He didn't bother to respond to her. It wasn't as though he could give her some logical reason for his actions beyond not wanting to deal with the class leader longer than necessary. The last thing that he had wanted to hear was another pointless lecture; even if it would not have been directed at him.

"Thank you," she finally said.

"Don't get used to it."

She trailed after him into the building. They were expected to go to their classroom she presumed. She really did not want to go into what remained of the crowd. Going home and crawling back into her bed seemed like a very good idea. That idea became even more tempting when she stepped inside the building. Though the crowd had mostly diminished there was still more people than there normally was and it was louder than usual. She followed Kyo closely as he effectively served as something to move people.

Shin was frustrating. A quick glance behind him had revealed what she was doing. It was smart, but that didn't mean that he liked it. Before he could growl at her she slipped past him and into the classroom. He followed after her. One of the first things that he noticed was that it was not stuffed with people like he had thought it would be. The second thing that he noticed was the reason for the lack of people, all of the candies that had been made were gone. That seemed to cause some annoyance with the visitors, which was just a pain.

"Hello, Kyo."

Tohru's voice immediately lightened his mood. He managed a sort-of smile for her before walking over tone of the empty chairs. Sitting down, he watched those that still meandered around. If only they would just hurry up and leave so that this festival would finally be over.

Almost everything in the room had either been removed or pushed back against the wall. She managed to find a desk to sit at. For a time she watched the people before turning her attention outside. There was a crow in a nearby tree. It just stood on one of the branches, appearing to be staring at her. She held its gaze. For a time they just stared at each other. The crow suddenly startled. A cry left it that she couldn't hear because of the glass. Seconds later she watched as it flew away. She finally looked away. Her gaze turned to the door and her body went rigid. The doctor was here. He was standing in the doorway. She had managed to avoid his attention earlier by ducking her head when he had first entered the school grounds. Her costume had seemed to have served as an appropriate disguise as well. Now was different. He had seen her. She knew that he had. He was staring directly at her. If he were not standing in the doorway she would have fled now.

"What is he doing here?" Kyo asked no one in particular when Hatori stepped into the room.

"He's here to see Yuki," Tohru said.

_Damn rat. He can't go anywhere without getting attention._ He glared at his older cousin, silently willing him to go away.

"Kyo."

"Shut up," he growled at Hatori.

Tohru took a step back when Kyo abruptly stood up before storming from the room.

"Leave him be," Hatori said when Tohru moved to follow.

She nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Did you find Yuki?"

"Yes."

"I didn't notice him come in."

He said nothing in response. His gaze returned to the dark-haired girl. She appeared to be uncomfortable.

"Hatori!"

A young blonde boy had distracted the doctor. Very quickly she stood up and left the room.

He glanced at her when she brushed past him. "Excuse me, Momiji." He patted the boy on the head, managing to catch him off guard, before leaving the classroom. She was rounding the corner by the time that he was halfway down the hall. He continued though, at a slower pace than the one that she was taking. There was no need to alarm her further.

* * *

When he stepped outside it appeared that his assumption was correct. It appeared that her pace has slowed down considerably as he was only a few steps behind her and she was not gone. "Miss Dokaru."

She tried to ignore him. When he spoke her name again though, she stopped. There was a sense that he would follow her down the street. That was not certain though.

He came up behind her. "Miss Dokaru," he said gently.

"Doctor Sohma."

"May I speak with you?"

She didn't want to talk to him and yet she found herself nodding her assent.

"Thank you."


	9. A Moment to Sit

******Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya. I hold neither affiliation nor ownership. The character Shin Dokaru though is of my own creation.**

**

* * *

**

Chapter Nine: A Moment to Sit

It was just another day. People passed by, rushing as if there was no time to spare. Everything seemed hurried. Was the world really moving this quickly? Was time really being lost at such a rapid rate?

"Miss Dokaru."

Her gaze turned forward. Everything slowed and returned to the current moment.

"Are you alright?"

She looked away. Any thoughts that she had of apologizing for becoming distracted vanished. It was not that important anyways. He would not care.

"Miss Dokaru."

Maybe he did care. She was being rude for not talking to him after all. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

She stared at her hands. It was difficult to look at him. There was no guarantee about what she would see. "I... I just am."

Hatori thanked the waitress when two cups of tea were placed before them. He waited for her to leave before addressing Shin again. "How have you been?"

"Fine."

"Your-"

"Fine." She uttered a quiet apology for having interrupted him.

He ignored the apology. She was agitated and he sipped at his tea until she seemed to have calmed down. "You left the house abruptly."

Her body tensed and she waited for him to chastise her.

"Why?"

She raised her eyes and looked at him for a few brief seconds before she diverted her gaze. It was surprising for her that he had not chastised her. Of course, he had spoken kindly to her while at the Sohma house. It seemed that had not been a front to force her to lower her guard.

"Miss Dokaru."

There was annoyance in his tone. She opened her mouth only to close it. For several minutes there was silence between them. "Why does it matter to you?"

She was looking at him now. He held her gaze while he answered her. "You are my patient. It is my duty to ensure your health."

"I am not your patient."

"No, I suppose not," he admitted.

Her gaze left him. She was not sure what had given him the idea that she was his patient. Yes, he had treated her. However, he had not asked for any payment. There had been no commitment to be had and yet he had thought that there was.

There was an air of obstinacy about her that he had never noticed. Their prior meeting, of course, had consisted of him tending to her injuries. She had, at that time, been nothing more than a shell. There had been very little will. Yet, it seemed that some life had returned to her in the time that had passed.

"What did you want to talk about?"

He was surprised that she had asked. The matter was one that he had thought that he would have to bring up. He leaned back and made himself more comfortable in his chair. For a time he was silent as he pondered the best way to approach the subject without her running off. Experience had taught him that this was a delicate matter. "I want to discuss why I had been called to treat you." The effect was instantaneous. In a matter of seconds the girl that he had first met was sitting before him.

"There is nothing to discuss."

"I beg to differ."

She said nothing. Her gaze became fixed on her hands.

"Miss Dokaru." Her body visibly flinched. He waited a moment. "Miss Dokaru, I have experience in these matters." She said nothing and sighed heavily. It would have been better if he had not leapt. He should not have even stuck his nose in the matter. She really did not mean much to him. Shigure had shoved his nose into it though. His involvement had been forced by appeals to his good nature. His resolve needed to be hardened even more against his cousin. Yet, he had not let matters rest. Very easily he could have forgotten her. He did not have to pursue further inquiry, but he had. There were numerous reasons as to why he did. He preferred to focus on his sense of medical responsibility. There was sympathy too. He had a vague understanding of what was plaguing her. If not for his own experiences he would have most likely remained ignorant. There was no other reason that he had for pursuing this. "You do not want to talk about that. I understand."

He understood. Almost he could believe him. People were deceiving though. Besides, there was nothing for him to understand. There was nothing for them to talk about. It didn't concern him. It concerned no one.

For a brief second he saw something flash in her eyes. Was it spite? No, that would not have been it. Perhaps it was amusement or maybe it was just trying to understand what he was saying. "It would be wise if you did though." There was a slight movement of her head that he almost missed. She didn't agree with him. That was okay. After everything before this he didn't expect her to agree that talking at anytime would be a good idea.

She waited for him to say more, but he did not. Her gaze finally lifted and for a few minutes she just stared at him. When that time had passed though, she looked away.

How familiar that gaze was. The expression was similar too. He knew it. He had seen it many times before. It was almost a little surprising to find it out here in the real world.

"Are we done?"

Her question drew him from his musings. "Is there anything that you want to talk about.

He kept asking that. It was annoying, frustrating. "I am not the one who wished to talk," she said, her voice not betraying her dislike of the question.

"Yes, we are."

"May I go?"

He nodded and watched as she almost immediately stood and prepared to leave. "Miss Dokaru." She did not look at him at first, but she eventually did. He stood and offered her a white card.

She looked distrustfully at the card, but still took it.

"If you need anything call this number."

Without a word she turned and left. She walked quickly in case he called her back, but he didn't.

Sitting down again Hatori looked at the two cups of tea. She had not touched hers. That was alright. A few minutes after she had gone he put some money on the table before leaving.

* * *

It had been strange. She was not certain why she had agreed to speak with him. Ultimately, she regretted having done so. He had brought up, at least he had tried to bring up, things which had no plausible reason to be addressed. A part of her though, was glad that someone had tried to ask. Still, the doctor knew nothing.

"Watch where you're going."

She stumbled away from the man who had run into her. Instinctively, she checked her bag. Her wallet was still there. Nothing had been touched. With that reassurance she started to walk again. More care was taken to avoid those who walked the sidewalk. When she reached the station she found that she was early. She had missed her usual train when she had sat down with Hatori. Now, she would have to wait another thirty minutes until the next train arrived. There were no empty benches so she found a space along the wall to stand.

* * *

His phone was ringing when he stepped into his office. He tossed his coat onto his chair before answering his phone. "Hello."

"Hello, Tori."

He sighed when he heard Ayame's overly enthusiastic tone. Sitting down, he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What is it?"

"I thought that I would call to see if you had gone home yet. Why are you still in your office?"

It crossed his mind to tell him that he had just returned to his office, but that would not help him. Ayame would just say the same thing to him. "I have paperwork to finish."

"Paperwork? Come now, Hatori. You could not have had that many patients today."

He would have responded, but Ayame was not done talking.

"You work too hard. You need to have some fun."

"I don't have time."

"Of course you do."

He frowned. "Ayame-"

"Shigure and I are going to a bar tonight. You should come with us."

A drink did sound good right now. "Alright." He heard Ayame's exclamation of happiness, but managed to cut him off before he spoke again. "I have to bring Akito her medicine." He pulled out a pen and wrote down the name of the bar that Ayame gave him. After assuring him that he would in fact meet them both there he hung up. With a heavy sigh he leaned back in his chair.

* * *

The bar was quiet. The atmosphere was dull. The night was young though, and he was certain that it would liven up as it grew later and night blended into morning.

"Hatori."

He walked over to where Ayame and Shigure sat. They had apparently already ordered for him since a glass sat waiting. He took a grateful sip of it. "Thank you."

"Long day?" Shigure asked with a slight smirk. Hatori didn't answer him, but his expression told him enough. "I'm glad to see that you could come."

"I was not left with much choice."

"I do believe that our Hatori is joking."

"It is better than that cold, stoic demeanor," Ayame stated.

He could only shake his head; unable to bring himself to chastise them.

Discussion turned to pointless matters. The weather was mentioned and then the progress of their jobs. The topic turned to the day's events. A few laughs were shared as Ayame told them about his latest commission.

"Tohru said that you left the festival quickly today," Shigure said as he sipped his drink.

"I had a consultation with a patient."

"You work too hard, Hatori." Ayame shook his head. "You need to take some time for yourself."

"I will this summer."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense. We will do something sooner."

Not in the mood to argue the matter, he nodded.

Shigure waved his hand to get the bartender's attention.

"I'll get the drinks."

"You are so good. Thank you, Hatori."

He shook his head, his lips curved with amusement. Standing up, he walked over to the bar. Placing his order, he waited with some boredom as the drinks were prepared. There was a loud bang as the door violently swung open and bounced off the wall. He looked at the newcomer. The man came to stand beside him. There was something familiar about him that he couldn't place. His order was placed before him and he returned to the table. The man was forgotten as he entered the discussion that his two cousins were having about him needing to meet a woman. It was an old argument, but he no longer fought it as much as he once did.


End file.
